Local group will host event about ranked-choice voting

Jay Stooksberry 

Writer & Editor

Delta, CO—Ranked-choice voting is on the Colorado ballot this year, and a Delta County group believes voters must learn about this new election method.

Colorado voters will soon decide whether to abandon party-line primaries and advance the top-four, highest-ranked candidates to the general election regardless of party affiliation. Proposition 131 proposes adopting such a system—often called ranked-choice voting or instant-runoff—for state and federal elections.

Restore the Balance – Delta County, a nonpartisan organization building “an alternative to political extremism,” will host a meeting and presentation about this initiative on October 17, starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Yarrow Taproom in Austin, Colorado.

Randy Spydell, an election-reform advocate and retired geologist, will present on different voting methods, including the differences between what Proposition 131 proposes and traditional single-choice voting.

“There are several ways to conduct an election,” said Spydell. “My goal is to leave my audience with a better understanding of how communities—whether a small town or a nation of millions—can elect their leaders.”

As voters grow increasingly dissatisfied with the traditional two-party system, ranked-choice voting and other comparable election reforms have gained popularity nationwide. Similar measures have passed in Alaska and Maine. Municipalities, such as New York City, San Francisco, and Minneapolis, have also adopted ranked-choice voting for citywide elections. Even political parties—including the Virginia Republican Party and Democratic Party affiliates in Alaska, Hawaii, and Kansas—recently used this method to select their nominees.

“Many are frustrated with their choices on the ballot,” said Aaron Clay, chairman of RTB-Delta County. “It’s only natural they are curious about alternative systems.”

RTB-Delta County regularly organizes educational events related to voting and elections. In July, the group invited representatives from the Delta County Elections Office to share how the county counts votes, certifies ballots, avoids fraud, and conducts fair and open elections.

“Our republic can only thrive when voters are well-informed,” said Clay. “Restore the Balance is committed to educating voters about how they can keep democracy alive and vibrant.”

The event is free to the public and will begin at 4:30 p.m. with a social hour during which people can mingle, drink, and eat. The presentation will begin at 5:30 p.m.

Contact: Aaron Clay or Jim Brown rtbdeltacounty@gmail.com